Content archived on 20 April 2024
The rail industry has seen substantial growth and sustained levels of investment in recent years with increasing passenger numbers and a flourishing rail freight sector. ORR data shows there has been a 59.1% rise in passenger journeys and 9.1% rise in freight usage since 2005.Last year, Network Rail embarked on a multi-billion pound plan to improve reliability and efficiency of Britain's railways as well as deliver a huge programme of work which will make people's travelling experiences better. Network Rail has targets in place to make sure it delivers value for money, reduces the disruption to today's passengers while improving the railway for the future, and safeguards the sustainability of the rail infrastructure.
The report highlights that train service performance below target and the company has delivered less than its planned level of maintenance and renewal work for the upkeep of the network. However, it has made good progress on significant enhancement projects that will benefit passengers and freight customers.
ORR chief executive Richard Price said:
Britain's railways have seen sustained investment and a record rise in passengers as well as freight activity in recent years. This is a real success for the industry which has improved reliability of the network and services over the past decade.
Network Rail has had a good track record in Scotland on performance and capacity and we have seen examples of significant progress in delivery of big enhancement projects that will provide tangible improvements to passengers and freight customers. However, recently, train performance has dipped and Network Rail has fallen behind on its plans to renew the rail network. ORR is reviewing Network Rail's renewals plans for the next four years to understand the impact they will have on the sustainability of the network.
The Network Rail Monitor for Scotland covers its performance in the first year of the new five-year funding period that began in April 2014 in areas such as punctuality, asset management, enhancement projects delivery, finance and efficiency. The report shows that:
- Good progress has been made on significant enhancement projects that will provide tangible improvements to passengers and freight customers. In particular, the Rutherglen to Coatbridge electrification project enabled electric passenger services to commence in December 2014. The Borders Railway project has progressed well and is due to be commissioned this month with passenger services commencing in September.
- Train performance in Scotland at the end of 2014-2015 was below the regulatory target at 90.5% – 1.5 percentage points below the target. This was in part due to the impact of the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup when a positive decision was made to manage the network to most effectively meet the needs of increased passenger demand, which had an impact on punctuality. However, even taking this into account, train performance has declined and ORR is investigating whether Network Rail has done everything reasonably practicable to achieve its regulatory target.
- Network Rail has generally delivered less than its planned level of maintenance and renewal work. For example, plain line track renewals were still 46% behind plan at year end, signalling renewals were 51% behind plan and work on civils also fell behind plan, with a 14% shortfall for underbridges but there was a 69% over-delivery for earthworks. ORR is reviewing the company's renewals plans for the remainder of the control period to understand the impact on the sustainability of the network.
- Network Rail in Scotland has had a good recent record of passenger and public safety with no significant injuries to passengers on trains in Scotland. However, further improvement is required to track quality in some areas and also to systems that support an appropriate track inspection regime. Significant reductions have been made in level crossing risk through equipment upgrades and closures.
ORR will be publishing a detailed annual health and safety assessment in July 2015 and a finance and efficiency assessment in autumn 2015.
Notes to editors
- To download the latest monitor visit: https://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/18158/network-rail-monitor-scotland-2014-15-q3-4.pdf
- To read the Network Rail Monitor for England & Wales see: https://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/18157/network-rail-monitor-2014-15-q3-4.pdf
- The Office of Rail and Road is the independent economic and safety rail regulator and the independent strategic roads monitor for England.
- Follow the Office of Rail and Road on Twitter @railregulation for latest news data and announcements on the rail industry and @highwaysmonitor to keep updated on ORR's strategic road monitoring work.